What did you do with your flock today?

[FrankieDoodle]

Hello! It's been a little while since I popped in, I hope everyone's doing alright. :]

I've been having trouble with hawks recently. Two really close calls in two days. I tried putting bird netting up, but in less than two hours a wild bird got caught in it. Locking the chickens up into a proper run/building a more solid roof isn't doable.
What does everyone else do? I don't want to lose any of my girls, but my area has a ton of wild birds and I'd hate to accidentally kill any of those, either. I'll take any ideas you can give me!

 

[Shetland lover]

Awwww...I think everyone should own a dog Pity you're not closer. Any puppy would be so lucky to have you for a mom and bet this guy would love you!

Aww shucks. I'd love a dog, if I was closer I'd definitely take him on. He looks a real sweetheart.

 

[Shetland lover]

Put a saddle on one of a Delaware pullet. Not a year old yet but.... It turns out that she is the broody that is trying to brood in the rollout box. I brought her to the house to engage my wife's help in getting her saddle and then returned her to the flock. She tried to run away from that saddle. She tried to scratch it off she tried to kick it off but tonight while putting the kids to bed I found her with 3 eggs in the rollout hunkered down for the night. I took the eggs. I'd rather she wait until a little older in a better coop that's got some privacy and better security.

My little Pru needs a saddle for the first time. I'm dreading fitting one as she's not the most co-operative chicken... especially after reading your post!
I had a roo that 'played dead' whenever I tried to put a crow collar on him but that's the extent of my experience clothing chickens...

 

[Shetland lover]

Hello! It's been a little while since I popped in, I hope everyone's doing alright. :]

I've been having trouble with hawks recently. Two really close calls in two days. I tried putting bird netting up, but in less than two hours a wild bird got caught in it. Locking the chickens up into a proper run/building a more solid roof isn't doable.
What does everyone else do? I don't want to lose any of my girls, but my area has a ton of wild birds and I'd hate to accidentally kill any of those, either. I'll take any ideas you can give me!

My new fruit cage came with bird netting and you're supposed to stretch it really tight to stop birds getting tangled. I'm not sure that'll work (especially as it's on the allotment and I can't check it every day) so I swapped it out with the same sort of plastic netting that came for the sides. It's more rigid and stretched tight seems to be bird tangle-proof. I've done the same on my chicken run for the summer(or until I get the permanent roof on). So far it's been fine. I don't have much of a hawk issue but get regular fly-bys from a peregrine falcon who seems intent on picking off the local pigeons. It doesn't even seem bothered that I'm in the yard. I worry about it taking Clara as she is only pigeon-sized.
Hopefully someone with more experience of the problem will have better suggestions.

 

[PopoMyers]

Happy Aloha Monday!!
It is a beautiful sunny day and I hear we are going to get our Tradewinds back this week!

Mazie has been in isolation for a few days. She was breathing a little heavy and hanging back, just a bit more tired and solo than usual. I won't keep her long, just long enough for closer observation, vitamins, extra food if she needs. If she is closer to her end I want her with her flock. Yet, everything seems fine, weight, feather condition, crop, comb etc. She looks like she is just older. Maybe her bones hurt from age and the dog attack a few years back. Maybe her sight is not as good as it used to be. I get that, just want to make sure it is not more or maybe help her with a boost.
Interesting how she and her sister BR are no longer the matriarchs. I'm sure if push came to shove they would be the ones who would make sure there is order, but somewhere along the way they have stepped back. Maybe it was a peck or scolding from Spider, but I hope it was a polite, respectuful nod, or just that the LB's are younger and more willing. Whatever it was I did not see the ask or tell, I just saw the slowing down, no longer the first in line, no longer the roosters lead, no longer the voice or keepers of the flock.
I'm not sure who is matriarch now. Think it may be one of the Light B's with less experience and class than Mazie or Indie. I will have to watch harder.

Yesterday, I cleaned and rearranged my sewing area so I am no longer facing the garden. In exchange for my view I'm hoping to have better light. We shall see. It was easy enough to move the light furniture and a clean always feels good. Today I have to finish. The tuff stuff. Cleaning out my chicken 1st aide, tossing saved boxes and other misc stuff. As much as I like to reduce, reuse and recycle ... I also like to be organized. Hard to do in a little home.

We have a voracious rat in the shop who has managed to gnaw a hole through the scratch food safe. DH repaired and it easily chewed another. I put the fresh $42. new bag of scratch in a metal rubbish can... the rat then chewed a huge hole in the dog's food safe. Well, me thinks these food safes ain't so safe anymore. I bough 2 non humane traps. I need to get all potential food out of shop and set traps with cats locked in the house for the night (s). Till then, I have a pregnant or nursing mama rat, I'm sure.

If it's not one thing, it's another. That rat, though, must have titanium teeth! Fingers crossed for it to get caught. Buggah! So mysterious about your old ladies. Flock dynamics can be hard to figure out. Spider does take care of them all, right? My girl Cinnamon is still queen, so far. The Tradewinds will be a welcome relief from the humidity and stickiness. Aloha!

 

[PopoMyers]

I sat a spell hand feeding a new special needs pet. A 3 month old White Giant pullet that escaped the jaws of death a few nights ago. She lost all the feathers and all the skin from her neck on one side for about an inch and a half down from her head. I picked her up running from a free ranging rooster brigade and she wants to be in my lap constantly since. I hold feed in my hand until she has a crop full then take her for a private drink. Next we have to talk about bedtime and how that's what the nighttime box is for. That's the only time she fusses is about going to bed. She seems to be mending nicely all things considered. It's not been a good year so far for pullet injuries. One has had all of her comb pecked or pulled off and another had a lot of skin pulled off by hormonal young punk roosters begging to meet up with some dumplings.

Ever think of making a punk cockerel jail? I did that with the two I had. Pullets were less anxious, and safer.

 

[PopoMyers]

Found 2 lizards under the couch after finding this in the corner this morning... View attachment 3515234Think he is feeling bad about his crime spree or leaving me the mess...? View attachment 3515245Me thinks not. Looks like the guilt free nap.of a serial killer. I disposed of the bodies, so I'm now a co-conspirator.

Further inspection of Mazie I found a few of those darn stick tight fleas on her. Don't know how I missed that with my first 2 inspections. Now we are in the solution with a spa treatment. Vaseline on legs, comb and wattles, bug spray, vitamins and fresh grass. This is at least the 3rd, 4th time I have seen ST fleas bring a bird down to some degree. Little 's.

If those are the lizards that are eating the native lizards, then Bravo! Sad to find bird victims of our cats. Sam caught #2 this week. They are both good hunters. Those darn fleas! Hope there is a way to deter them.

 

[Nomadicus]

I just picked up a flock increase at the post office.... Chicken Math struck again...

 

[Maddcatter]

If those are the lizards that are eating the native lizards, then Bravo! Sad to find bird victims of our cats. Sam caught #2 this week. They are both good hunters. Those darn fleas! Hope there is a way to deter them.

My cat brought me a mouse yesterday. Not dead, just caught. I praised the cat, kill the mouse, and move on...
... I returned to the garage a bit later and found half a dead rabbit.
... I now understand why the mouse wasn't eaten.
Saw another mouse exiting my chicken run at night. My cats are about to be sleeping with my chickens.

 

[TropicalBabies]

My cat brought me a mouse yesterday. Not dead, just caught. I praised the cat, kill the mouse, and move on...
... I returned to the garage a bit later and found half a dead rabbit.
... I now understand why the mouse wasn't eaten.
Saw another mouse exiting my chicken run at night. My cats are about to be sleeping with my chickens.

That is some cat to kill a rabbit. I'm impressed... and would like to borrow it for my monster shop rat.